Russian citizens fled their country’s mobilization in the autumn and hoped to receive refugee status in Seoul. After being denied, they filed an appeal and waited for a decision at the local airport for several months.
The South Korean city of Incheon District Court on Tuesday (February 14th) instructed the country’s immigration agency to consider applications for refugee status filed by two Russians in the fall of 2022. This was reported in the local edition of The Korea Times.
Five Russian nationals fleeing the mobilization in their country arrived at Incheon Airport in October-November last year, hoping to obtain refugee status in South Korea. However, local authorities rejected them, considering that evading conscription at home was not a good reason for this.
The men, with the help of a lawyer, appealed to the court and continued to wait for a decision at the airport – they had no right to go beyond that. According to the media, the Russians lived in the departure hall and ate what was given to them by the local Ministry of Justice – a cake and a pack of juice for breakfast and dinner, chicken rice for lunch.
As a result, the court ruled in favor of two Russians who filed a complaint against the immigration service. By the end of this week they will be able to leave the airport on the territory of South Korea. Men will receive a G-1 visa that guarantees temporary stay in the country while they go through the official refugee screening process.
Another citizen of the Russian Federation, who was in a similar situation, refused the court decision without explanation.
The two remaining Russians, student Vladimir Maraktaev and former football player Dzhashar Khubiev, are still at the airport awaiting the next hearing, scheduled for the end of February.
A person named Andrei, whom the court gave a positive verdict, told reporters that he was protesting the “corrupt Putin regime” even before the invasion of Ukraine and was very afraid of being on the front.
Recall, in January, CNN wrote that in recent months Russia has sent tens of thousands of new military personnel to the front in Ukraine and the Kremlin has decided to mobilize to turn the situation in its favor. However, this did not help.
Source: Focus
Alfred Hart is an accomplished journalist known for his expert analysis and commentary on global affairs. He currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker, where he provides readers with in-depth coverage of the most pressing issues affecting the world today. With a keen insight and a deep understanding of international politics and economics, Alfred’s writing is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the world we live in.